Syringe



March 24, 1936.

L. M.v SMITH SYRINGE Filed Aug. 16, 1933 Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 16 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in syringes, and moreparticularly to syringes of the character commonly used as vaginaldouches, although the invention may have other and various uses as willbe apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of syringes vand vaginal doucheshave been developed, but these devices formerly known were not; asefcient as is desirable. Some of these heretofore known devices dependedto some extent upon a slight scouring action for cleansing and othersdepended upon a substantial dilation of the vaginal wall caused byliquid pressure alone. Both these methods taken .individually are notsufficient to insure perfect cleansing. In addition, none of thesepreviously known devices of which I am aware utilized the outflow ofliquid as an aid Vto cleansing, but were dependent entirely upon theVcleansing action of the liquid as it left the nozzle of the syringe ordouche. Also, in every instance of which I am aware, devices heretoforehave been made of a material which, if not handled with great care,could cause abrasions or other injuries to the vaginal wall.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to providea vaginal syringe or douche made of a flexible, resilient materialnoninjurious to the vaginal wall.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device of thecharacter described constructed so as to utilize the douching liquid notonly upon its discharge from the nozzle or end of the device, but alsoupon the exit of the liquid from the vagina for cleansing purposes.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a vaginaldouche or the like which insures the proper velocity of discharge ofdouching liquid at the nozzle end of the device through great variationsof liquid pressures entering the device.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a device ofthe character described which insures a positive expansion of thevaginal wall causing the cleansing liquid to come in contact with? theentire surface, the normal folds being smoothed out by the `dilation ofthe Wall.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a vaginaldouche or the Vlike incorporating in the one element positive expansionor dilation of the vaginal walls, dilatingliquid pressure within thevagina, and a scouring action to insure cleanliness.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantageslof the present inven- 1933, Serial No. 685,307 (Cl. 12S- 239) tion havebeen above pointed out, others will become apparent from the disclosureshereinafter.

The invention includes these and other features of construction andcombinations of parts, hereinafter described, and shown in a preferredform v in the drawing, as more particularly indicated by the claims.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a device embodyingprinciples of the present invention shown connected to a cleansingliquid supply conduit.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the device itselftaken substantially as indicated by line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the device takensubstantially as indicated by the line III- III of Figure 2.v

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the nozzle of the devicetaken substantially as indicated by the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing aslightly modified form of connecting member.

As shown on the drawing:

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the main or bodyportion of the device is a flexible resilient member I0, preferably madeof a suitable rubber composition that will cause no physical injury eventhough the device may be carelessly handled. This member IIJ is providedwith an irrigation passage I I therethrough. In linear dimension, thediameter of the member Il] is preferably not less than one-eighth of thelength of the member, whereby the member insures a positive dilation ofthe vaginal walls when inserted. The forward end of the member isrounded as indicated at -.I2 to enable a gentle entrance.

At the rear end thereof, the member is provided with a shoulderedconnecting member I3 flanged as at I4 to afford a seat for a washer .I5which abuts the rear end of the member II) around the passage II. Theinner end of the connecting member I3 is threaded as indicated at I6 sothat the connecter will stay anchored during use in the passage II. Thethreads .are preferably .relied upon for their frictional grippingaction and the member III is preferably not internally threaded alongthe passage I I. The connecter is very easily removed due -to theresiliency of the member I0 for cleansing purposes. As seen in Figure 1,the device is shown attached through the connecter I3 to `a .suitableliquid conduit I'I which may be the tube leading yfrom a fountainclearly in Figure 4. As indicated clearly in Figures 2 and 4, thedischarge apertures 2| are. lo-

cated in different lateral planes, and those located in one plane aredisposed' at a different' angle from those located in another plane.

Located at any desirable or suitable point within the irrigation passageis a centrally passaged Venturi-like or metering member 22 provided withan external iiange 23 which is re- `siliently gripped by the inner wallsof the member I0 to hold the metering device in position. The aperturethrough the metering device is obviously smaller than the irrigationpassage I I and consequently affords a partial restriction to iluid flowthrough the passage thereby causing a change in velocity of thecleansing uid. In this manner, the velocity of cleansing iluidwhendischarged through the orices 2| may be increased.

The connecter I3, the nozzle I8, and the metering member 22, may each beformed of any suitable material, but are preferably of hard rubber or aphenolic or alcoholic condensation product.

Outlet passages in the form of substantially semicircular grooves areformed integrally in the external surface of the member I0. Any desirednumber of these grooves may be provided. As illustrated, two groovesdiametrically opposed to each other are provided. The grooves may be ofany desirable size, but preferably have a total flow capacityapproximately equal to one-half that of all of the orifices 2 I. By thismeans, substantially half of the douching fluid is prevented fromimmediately leaving the vagina, thus causing to some extent a furtherdilation of the vaginal walls due to the iluid pressure and alsoassuring proper cleansing.

It will be apparent that thorough 'cleansing will result even to thevery bottom of all folds or crevices in the vaginal wall. One of themost important parts of the vaginal tract to be cleansed is the deepfold between the cervix of the uterus and the vaginal wall. Greatdiiiiculty has been experienced heretofore in cleansing this region, buta complete insertion of the present invention causes a dilation of thevagina and brings the rounded or button-like head of the nozzle I8 inposition to cover the 0s uteri and elevate the cervix, thereby openingthe aforejsaid deep fold for thorough cleansing, and pre- 'vent thedouching fluid from entering the uterus.

In the structure illustrated in Figure 5, a slightly different form ofconnecter 25 is shown which is provided with a smoothinner end 26 forinsertion in the irrigation passage I This con- I necter is also ilangedas at 2'I to properly seat a washer 28 against the rear end of themember I0 around the irrigation passage. The connecter is alsoshouldered as is the connecter I3 to insure a proper connection to thefluid conduit.

With the inner end of the lconnecter smooth as at 26, other means mustbe employed to hold the connecter in position during use, andl to thisend an apertured cap 29 of any suitable material is provided. This capis provided with an inner boss 30 bearing against the ange 21 of theconnecter and is also provided with an outer internally threaded ilange3| engaging the exterior surface of the member I0 to hold the parts inposition. With this construction, it will at once be apparent that themember I0 may be swivelled or rotated around the connecter 25 relativelythereto, and the conduit attached to the connecter will not be twisted.

The rotation of the member III, aided materially by the edges of thegrooves 24 affords a scouring action to thereby further increase the.cleansing possibilities of the device.

In use, any suitable form of clamp or stop cock may be used in theconduit II. The device is inserted inthe vagina, the clamp or stop cockreleased and the douching fluid permitted to be discharged through theorices 2 I, and the velocity of discharge of the uid being effected asabove explained by the metering member 22. The outow of the fluid fromthe vagina will be only approximately one-half as rapid as the inflow,as aforestated, due to the capacity of the grooves 24. The outflow offluid in the grooves 24 will also exercise a cleansing action and insureremoval of any accumulated secretions. During the douching process, themember II) is preferably rotated as explained above, thereby adding tothe cleansing with a resultant scouring action. During the cleansingprocess, the vagina will be dilated a material extent by the member yIlland also dilated a further extent by the liquid pressure therein, which,taken in conjunction with the scouring action and the cleansing actionof the fluid during its outow in the passages 24, insures a positive andthorough cleansing.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a douche of the character described, a. .resilient member havingan irrigation passage therethrough, nozzle means on the end of saidmember, and a plug-like member in said irrigation passage having apassage therethrough of less size than said irrigation passage to permita variance in Velocity of the douching uid, said member beingselectively locatable at any desirable point relative to said nozzle.

2. In a douche of the character described, a resilient member having anirrigation passage therethrough and being of sufficient size to insureexpansion of the vaginal walls, said member being o'f suflicient lengthto project well without the vagina even when inserted to the full depthof the vagina, said member also having a plurality of longitudinallyextending drain grooves in the outer surface thereof of a capacity notexceeding one-half the amount of iiuid passable through the douche, anda swivel connection associated with the outer end of said member toestablish communication between said irrigation passage and a supplyconduit to permit rotation of said member relatively to `said supplyconduit while inserted in a vagina.

3. In a douche of the character described, a resilientmember having anirrigation .passage therethrough and being of a suicient size toinsureexpansion of the vaginal walls, said member having a plurality oflongitudinally extending grooves in the outer face thereof to functionas drain passages, means associated with the inner end of said memberhaving discharge openings therein of a capacity substantially twice thatof said grooves, a selectively disposable plug-like member in saidirrigation passage and having a passage therethrough of less size thansaid irrigation passage, and a swivel connection associated with theouter end of said member for establishing communication between saidirrigation passage and a fiuid supply conduit.

LAWRENCE M. SMITH.

